International Centre for

Technical and Vocational

Education and Training

Biennial Report 2020-2021

Adapting to the new normal
Biennial Report 2020-2021
Adapting to the new normal
UNESCO – a global leader in education
Education is UNESCO’s top priority because it is a
basic human right and the foundation for peace
and sustainable development. UNESCO is the
United Nations’ specialized agency for education,
providing global and regional leadership to drive
progress, strengthening the resilience and capacity
of national systems to serve all learners and
responding to contemporary global challenges
through transformative learning, with special focus
on gender equality and Africa across all actions.
The Global Education 2030 Agenda
UNESCO, as the United Nations’ specialized agency for
education, is entrusted to lead and coordinate the
Education 2030 Agenda, which is part of a global
movement to eradicate poverty through 17 Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030. Education, essential to
achieve all of these goals, has its own dedicated Goal 4,
which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality
education and promote lifelong learning opportuni-
ties for all.” The Education 2030 Framework for Action
provides guidance for the implementation of this
ambitious goal and commitments.

UNESCO-UNEVOC International
Centre for Technical and Vocational
Education and Training
UN Campus
Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1
53113 Bonn
Germany

© UNESCO 2021

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iii

Foreword
The disruption
caused by COVID-19
has reached
unprecedented
levels. With the
persistent pandemic
showing no signs of
abating, there has been
a collective reimagining of
the future of technical and
vocational education and training (TVET).
TVET is intrinsically linked to labour market
demands and the availability of workplace training
opportunities. Consequently, it is bearing the brunt
of the current shock waves. Workplace training
opportunities have dwindled; labour markets have
been jolted, with new digital skills in high demand
and old skills phased out faster than expected.
While some TVET institutions have seamlessly
transitioned to online delivery of training, others
have struggled with not only poor infrastructure and
the lack of trained teachers, but also rigid mindsets.
For those equipped to harness the benefits of
digitalization, the obstacles posed by the pandemic
have become opportunities for innovation. This
accelerated digitalization, which is a conspicuous
feature of future TVET, can lead to increasing
inequality between countries with resources and
capacities and those without.
To mitigate this impact, UNESCO-UNEVOC
implemented a special project focused on
strengthening the responsiveness, agility and
resilience of TVET institutions for the post-COVID-19
era. The project facilitated the upskilling and
reskilling of workers in affected sectors, provided
digital training for TVET staff and fostered peer
learning across the UNEVOC Network. International
cooperation and knowledge sharing will remain key
elements as we seek to bridge the gap between
countries prepared to face a new normal and those
that are not.
BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021— Foreword
The new Medium-Term Strategy for 2021-2023
(MTS-III) also enables a shift towards this more
inclusive and hands-on approach to supporting
TVET actors on the ground. The programmes and
activities implemented under MTS-III are guided by
four principles: partnership, optimizing, prioritizing
and adapting. Working alongside its partners,
UNEVOC Centres and TVET stakeholders, UNESCO-
UNEVOC aims to promote future-oriented TVET that
is responsive to sustainable development and labour
market demands.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, UNESCO-UNEVOC’s work
benefited from the support of the Government of the
Federal Republic of Germany, particularly through the
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF),
the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft
für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH,
which have provided financial contributions as well
as programmatic expertise. In addition, collaboration
with UNESCO Headquarters and Field and Regional
Offices has expanded the scope and reach of
UNESCO-UNEVOC and the UNEVOC Network.
As the biennium draws to a close, I would like to take
this opportunity to announce my retirement from
UNESCO. On 1 January 2022, Mr Friedrich Huebler will
be appointed as Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC. Under
his leadership, UNESCO-UNEVOC will continue to
support Member States in strengthening, upgrading
and innovating their TVET systems for the future.
Soo-Hyang Choi
Director, UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre
iv
The biennium in numbers — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

The biennium in numbers

A global network of 229 UNEVOC Centres in 149 countries

850 600
beneficiaries of Up to 600 TVET
capacity-building, stakeholders
skills training and
TVET leadership
3000 actively engaged in
knowledge sharing
programmes More than 3000 and peer learning
participants reached
through webinars,
virtual conferences
and forums

65
TVET institutions
matched with 14
companies to access
training for learners,
6640
teachers and trainers members of
the global TVET
58 community
connected via the
promising and online TVET Forum
innovative learning
practices published
to highlight global
trends in TVET

17 193
17 practical guides, TVET Country
reports, studies and Profiles updated to
discussion papers provide the latest
published to enhance comparative data
the provision of on TVET systems
quality TVET worldwide

v
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Contents

Contents
iv Foreword

v The biennium in numbers

2 Overview of UNESCO-UNEVOC and its guiding frameworks

5 Strengthening the responsiveness, agility and resilience
of TVET institutions for the post-COVID-19 era

8 Innovation and the Future of TVET

9 Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET
11 Skills for Innovation Hubs
11 Supporting TVET staff for a digitalized world

12 SDGs and Greening TVET
13 Advocacy
15 Whole-institution approach to green TVET institutions

16 Inclusion and Youth
16 Entrepreneurial learning
17 Gender equality in STEM-related TVET
18 Inclusive TVET institutions
19 Youth employment and skills

21 Private Sector Engagement

21 Matching skills demands with training
22 UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy
24 2021/2 Global Education Monitoring Report

25 The UNEVOC Network
26 Building the capacities of TVET leaders
33 UNEVOC Network consolidation meetings
34 UNESCO’s Strategy for TVET 2022-2029

35 Knowledge management
37 Staff list
39 Financial overview
41 UNESCO-UNEVOC in Bonn

1
Overview — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

Overview of UNESCO-UNEVOC
and its guiding frameworks
UNESCO-UNEVOC is UNESCO’s specialized centre for technical and
vocational education and training (TVET) and an integral component
of UNESCO’s international programme on TVET.

Since it was first created in 1992 as an International
Project on Technical and Vocational Education
to its establishment as the UNESCO-UNEVOC
International Centre for Technical and Vocational
Education and Training in 1999, UNESCO-UNEVOC’s
guiding mission has been to actively support Member
States in strengthening and upgrading TVET.
Through capacity development programmes,
knowledge sharing and its global UNEVOC Network
of more than 220 Centres in over 140 countries,
UNESCO-UNEVOC advocates for quality TVET that is
accessible to all.

The Sustainable
Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), laid out
Quality TVET in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
and adopted in 2015, are the blueprint to achieve a

effectively better and more sustainable future. Together they

set out a holistic approach to human development
– an approach for which education and training are

contributing to integral and within which TVET plays a central role.

equitable and
sustainable
development,
globally

2
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Overview

UNESCO-UNEVOC recognizes that the overall

success of the 2030 Agenda relies on youth
and adults who are equipped with the relevant
knowledge, skills, and competencies to contribute
to its achievement. SDG 4, which aims to “ensure
inclusive and equitable quality education and
promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, is
at the core of UNESCO-UNEVOC’s work, specifically
targets 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 and 4.7.
UNESCO’s Strategy
for TVET (2016-2021)
UNESCO’s Strategy for TVET (2016-2021) is aligned
with the targets identified in SDG 4 and supports the
efforts of Member States to enhance the relevance of
their TVET systems.

Target 4.3: Target 4.7:

ensuring equal access for all
women and men to affordable
quality technical, vocational and
tertiary education, including
university
Target 4.4:
substantially increasing the
number of youth and adults who
have relevant skills, including
technical and vocational skills, for
employment, decent jobs
and entrepreneurship
ensuring that all learners
acquire the knowledge and
skills needed to promote
sustainable development,
including, among others,
through education for
sustainable development
and sustainable lifestyles,
human rights, gender
equality, promotion of a
culture of peace and non-
violence, global citizenship
and appreciation of cultural
diversity and of culture’s
contribution to sustainable
development
Target 4.5:
eliminating gender disparities
in education and ensuring equal
access to all levels of education
and vocational training for the
vulnerable, including persons
with disabilities, indigenous
peoples and children in
vulnerable situations

3
Overview — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

The Strategy comprises of three priority areas:

Promoting equity Facilitating the

Fostering youth
and gender equality transition to green
employment and
economies and
entrepreneurship
sustainable societies

The Strategy sets out a number of key policy areas MTS-III will build on these successes and respond
and actions. The focus is on equipping all youth and directly to changing demands in the TVET ecosystem.
adults with the skills required to not only find decent The Strategy comprises of a special COVID-19
work and develop entrepreneurial and innovative response project and six programme areas:
mindsets, but also to become active citizens in an
equitable, inclusive and sustainable society. These
cross-cutting priorities form the basis of UNESCO-
UNEVOC’s work and are reflected throughout the
programme areas outlined in its Medium-Term
Strategy for 2021-2023. Supporting TVET staff
for a digitalized world

UNESCO-UNEVOC’s
Medium-Term Strategy TVET for climate action 

This biennium marked the

conclusion of UNESCO-UNEVOC’s
Medium-Term Strategy for 2018-
2020 (MTS-II) and the launch of Inclusive TVET for migrants and
its Medium-Term Strategy for disadvantaged youth 
2021-2023 (MTS-III). Throughout
the MTS-II period, expanded
opportunities for capacity building,
knowledge generation and sharing,
and collaboration and partnerships Private sector engagement 
within the UNEVOC Network led
to a better understanding of how
different contexts affect TVET
outcomes at the institutional level. A review of MTS-II
showed that it helped to articulate the implications UNEVOC Network 
of global policies and frameworks at the local level
while providing guidance and direction on where to
focus efforts and resources.

Knowledge management  

4

Strengthening the responsiveness,
agility and resilience of TVET institutions
for the post-COVID-19 era
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced teaching
and learning to move online, many TVET providers
struggled with the transition to a new mode of
delivery. At the peak of the crisis, UNESCO data
showed that over 1.6 billion learners in more
than 190 countries were out of school. This mass
experiment exposed a digital divide based on
income and geography that has long existed.
Approximately half of the world’s population still
lack an internet connection. This means that at least
a third of the world’s students – 463 million children
globally – were unable to access remote learning
when COVID-19 shuttered their schools.
© Lalam photography /Shutterstock.com
From January to June 2021, UNESCO-UNEVOC’s
COVID-19 response project, which was implemented
with the support of the German Federal Government
through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aimed to enhance
responsiveness and agility at a time of sudden
change, where future prospects for employment and
training remained uncertain. The project supported
TVET institutions in managing their pandemic
response to quickly address the skilling and upskilling
needs of people impacted by job losses or reduced
working hours, build the digital capacities of TVET
staff and teachers to shift to remote learning, and
facilitate peer learning to build resilience for the post-
pandemic recovery.
5
Strengthening the responsiveness, agility and resilience of TVET institutions for the post-COVID-19 era — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

• Short-term training programmes were

implemented in Ghana, India, Jamaica, Malawi
and Thailand to reskill and upskill trainees whose
livelihoods had been disrupted by the pandemic
and strengthen their capacities to engage in
other livelihood opportunities or prepare for
long-term change in their occupations. The

©RMUTT, Thailand
programmes enabled more than 400 trainees
to develop additional skills to engage in new
sources of income to replace those lost due to
the pandemic.

• A three-month digital training programme

provided 62 TVET teachers, managers
and technical staff in Jamaica, Kenya, the
Maldives, Nigeria and Peru with the skills and
competencies to meet urgent and evolving
digital demands. The training programme was
organized in combination with a three-part
webinar series on digitalization in TVET, which
was attended by more than 700 participants
from over 100 countries.

• Peer-learning activities enabled TVET

stakeholders from around the world to actively
share knowledge and experiences focused on
the implementation of relevant, responsive
and sustainable strategies. These activities
were carried out through a series of regional
©UCC, Ghana

workshops and webinars attended by 178

participants from 43 UNEVOC Centres, which
aimed at helping institutions better prepare for
future disruptions. Ten of the examples shared
were included as Promising Practices in UNESCO-
UNEVOC’s online database.

6
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Strengthening the responsiveness, agility and resilience of TVET institutions for the post-COVID-19 era

Key project highlights

46 49 43
UNEVOC Centres out of TVET institutions
Countries

Beneficiaries

Webinars on Capacity- 62 178

digitalization building
421
in TVET programmes trainees completed TVET managers and TVET stakeholders
teachers completed participated in peer
short-term skills learning workshops
training programmes digital training
programmes and webinars

Africa
Arab States
Regions Asia and the Pacific
Europe, CIS and North America
more than Latin America and the Caribbean
Countries
100

more than more than

Institutions
200 700 Participants

The activities implemented have built a community

around mutual learning, adaptability and resilience –
key elements that will enable a stronger TVET sector
to emerge from this crisis.

Access the project webpage and report.

7
 Section Title Style — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021
© metamorworks/Shutterstock.com
Innovation and the Future of TVET
TVET systems have been asked to rapidly respond
to digital proliferation within a context of uncertain
environmental and social change. However,
effectively forecasting the relevant competencies and
qualifications of the future is difficult, and efficiently
integrating them into occupational profiles, curricula,
and training regulations can prove even more
daunting. Overall, a fundamental change in the
way TVET institutions prepare for and adapt to skills
developments is needed.
In the midst of these challenges, TVET staff need
to be given access to sufficient professional
development opportunities to allow them to build
up their competencies and incorporate modern
teaching methods and assistive technologies in the
classroom. To remain relevant to the changing world
of work and attractive to learners, there is a growing
need for TVET teachers and trainers to understand
the application of digital technologies, such as
artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D-technologies and
augmented and virtual reality.
8
During the 2020-2021 biennium, the ‘Innovation and
future of TVET’ programme area comprised of three
key workstreams:
• Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET (BILT)
• Skills for Innovation Hubs (i-hubs)
• Supporting TVET staff for a digitalized world
Each line of activity informs policy debate, design
and implementation by:
• Identifying global, regional and national trends
• Encouraging cross-national debate and peer
learning
• Providing examples of innovative practices
Themes which have been addressed in the biennium
include research into how TVET systems identify,
integrate and implement new qualifications and
competencies into curricula and learning processes,
and the preparedness of TVET institutions to
contribute to the skills and innovation ecosystem.
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Innovation and the Future of TVET

Bridging Innovation
and Learning in TVET
The Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET (BILT)
project supports TVET stakeholders to address

ThisIsEngineering/pexels.com
current challenges in TVET systems, which have
arisen due to technological, environmental, social,
and workplace changes. BILT leverages the existing
mechanism of the UNEVOC Network to offer
opportunities for collaboration and knowledge
exchange between Africa, Asia and the Pacific,
and Europe. The project complements national
developments by exploring and supporting
innovative, market-oriented and attractive modes of
learning and cooperation in TVET.

BILT is implemented by UNESCO-UNEVOC, with

the support of the German Federal Institute for
Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), and
sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of
Education and Research (BMBF). Phases 1 and 2 of
the project ran from 2019 to 2021. To learn more
about BILT and opportunities for engagement,
contact unevoc.bilt@unesco.org.

BILT framework for new qualifications

and competencies (NQCs)

BILT supports TVET stakeholders in developing and

maintaining resilient TVET systems that offer relevant
qualifications and competencies to learners. The
identification, integration and implementation
(the three i’s) of new qualifications and competencies
is the overarching theme of the BILT project. The
project analyses how the three i’s process works in
different systems from the perspective of various
stakeholders: ministries, national authorities and TVET
providers. This overarching theme is supported by four
complementary themes:

Entrepreneurship Greening TVET Migration and TVET Digitalization

in TVET and TVET

9
Innovation and the Future of TVET — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021
Bridging knowledge in Africa,
Asia and the Pacific, and Europe
Over the course of the biennium, BILT bridging
events brought together TVET stakeholders
from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe. The
cross-regional meetings and forums encouraged
an ongoing exchange among TVET stakeholders
and strengthened peer learning within the TVET
community.
The focus of BILT’s bridging events in 2020 and
2021 was on new qualifications and competencies
(NQCs) in TVET. The following conferences and
events were attended by TVET policymakers,
research experts and TVET practitioners:
• bridging conference on NQCs – examples of
enabling their identification, integration and
implementation (December 2020)
• online conference on Bridging Asia-Pacific
and Europe (April 2021)
• online conference on Bridging Africa and
Europe (June 2021)
The BILT Learning Lab on Adapting and Integrating
the ASEAN In-Company Trainer Standard in Thailand
was held on 19 October 2021 and attended by more
than 150 global participants. BILT Learning Labs are
an opportunity for TVET stakeholders to explore
specific 'Innovation and Learning Practices' from
Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe.
The BILT Learning Forum on New qualifications
and competencies: Building the future of TVET, was
held online from 7 to 9 December 2021. The Forum
featured expert discussions on future-oriented
TVET systems, a roadshow on digital tools in TVET, a
marketplace for innovative practices and the launch
of the BILT agenda for 2022-2025. More than 500
participants from over 80 countries joined the event.
10
Key resources and tools
In 2020 and 2021, BILT project outputs included the
European trends mapping study, the Innovation and
Learning Practices series, and the development of a
publication on new qualifications and competencies.
• New qualifications and competencies for
future-oriented TVET
This three-volume publication on NQCs in
TVET focuses on the role of different stakeholder
groups, which are categorized into macro,
meso and micro levels. These stakeholders
are principally responsible for the following
processes: efficient and rapid identification of
NQCs, prioritization and integration of NQCs
into curricula and training regulations, and
effective implementation of NQCs into learning
environments.
• Trends in New qualifications and
competencies for TVET - Perspectives of the
European UNEVOC Network
This trends mapping study draws on a selection
of literature and survey data collected from the
UNEVOC Network and focus group activities,
as well as from a virtual
conference organized
on the topic. Based on
the evidence gathered,
the study identifies
nine trends related to
new qualifications and
competencies in TVET.
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Innovation and the Future of TVET

• Innovation and Learning Practices

A major outcome of the project’s bridging

events was the identification and publication
of Innovation and Learning Practices (ILPs).
These describe practical examples of how TVET

©UNESCO-UNEVOC/Larry Habib
stakeholders have addressed specific challenges

under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

within one of the BILT thematic areas. They offer
a learning opportunity for
other TVET stakeholders,
with the possibility to
implement key elements
in their own context.

Supporting TVET staff

for a digitalized world
Expanding on the work completed under the i-hubs
Skills for Innovation project, the following activities were carried out to
provide practical resources and relevant capacity-
Hubs building for TVET practitioners:

• EdTechTools was launched in June 2021 by

The Skills for Innovation Hubs Generation Unlimited, EdTechHub, UNESCO
(i-hubs) project emphasized that and UNESCO-UNEVOC as a global repository
TVET systems could no longer adopt of remote learning tools and platforms. The
a business-as-usual approach. The resources are aimed at teachers and trainers,
project encouraged a shift in the way learners and other education stakeholders
TVET institutions operate and the looking for high-quality teaching and learning
building of capacities to respond to materials for distance education.
pressing skills demands or anticipate
future skills needs – issues that are • A study was carried out in 2021 to identify
also creating room for innovators trends and good practices related to the
to seize the entrepreneurial and training of TVET staff in the use of digital tools
employment opportunities that come along. as a means of enhancing the learning process
and designing blended-learning pathways. The
The main output of the i-hubs project was the 2020 findings will be published in a report at the
publication Innovating TVET: A framework for beginning of 2022.
institutions. Co-developed with 10 TVET institutions
from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe, the tool
allows TVET institutions to assess their preparedness
to innovate in different organizational dimensions,
namely in their strategic management, teaching and
learning practice, offer of products and services, and
external relationship management. The innovation
framework is available in English, French and
Spanish, and is currently being digitized.

11
© UNESCO-UNEVOC/Oluwatobi Oyebanji under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

SDGs and Greening TVET

Education for Sustainable Development is recognized UNESCO-UNEVOC seeks to address the gap in
as a key element of Sustainable Development Goal education and training response vis-à-vis the
(SDG) 4 on quality education and a key enabler of all job potential. It supports TVET institutions in
other SDGs. As the lead UN agency on ESD, UNESCO the development and implementation of green
is responsible for the coordination of the ESD for strategies to transform their learning and training
2030 Framework. The Framework sets out the urgent environments, in fulfilment of their role in skilling
challenges facing the planet and lays out a roadmap learners, upskilling professionals in green job sectors,
for implementation to build a more just and and re-skilling those affected by job losses due
sustainable world through education. to the transition. By mobilizing TVET institutions
to engage in advocacy and adopt greening TVET
‘Greening’ as a concept is now prevalent across whole-institution approaches and practices,
many sectors, and in education it is crucial that UNESCO-UNEVOC empowers leaders and educators
future generations have the skills and competencies to effectively develop institutional green and
for emerging jobs as well as current jobs that are climate-responsive strategies that have a positive
changing significantly to align with green practices impact on society and the labour market.
in industries. In the energy sustainability scenario
of a 2°C increase by 2030 as opposed to a 6°C
increase that would happen under ‘business-as-usual’
conditions, it is estimated that around 24 million
jobs will be created and about 6 million lost globally
(ILO, 2018). The energy transition has also revealed
the need to expand skills in all regions of the world
to create a capable renewable energy workforce.
Meeting that need will require more vocational
training, stronger curricula and greater training of
trainers. (IRENA, 2021)

12
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — SDGs and Greening TVET

Advocacy
• Mainstreaming SDGs and climate issues
in TVET processes

UNESCO-UNEVOC actively collaborates with the

World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics
(WFCP) and the Colleges and Institutes of Canada
(CICan) as part of the SDG Affinity Group. The group
promotes awareness of the SDGs and their strategic
links to the TVET sector by organizing knowledge
sharing activities on key SDGs that can be enriched
and accelerated by TVET. Monthly knowledge sharing
webinars have an average participation of up to 50
stakeholders and topics discussed include TVET’s

©Talukdar David/Shutterstock.com
role in achieving sustainable construction (SDG 11);
gender equality (SDG 5); holistic SDG implementation
in TVET colleges (SDG 4); peace and justice (SDG 16);
and youth skills development in green-oriented
careers (SDG 8).

• Transforming training and learning

The SDG Affinity Group reached over 300 participants
through the seven virtual webinars completed
from February – August 2021.
environments for the green transition
The UNESCO World Conference on Education for
Sustainable Development was held from 17 to
19 May 2021. At the end of the three-day event,
over 80 ministers and vice ministers and 2,800
education, training and environment stakeholders
committed to taking concrete steps to transform
learning for the survival of our planet by adopting
the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD).

During the event, UNESCO-UNEVOC hosted sessions

on Green and Circular Economies (Part 1 and Part 2)
and ESD in TVET. These sessions, which reached a
combined total of 320 stakeholders of ESD, explored
pathways to adapt education and training responses
to the restructuring of business processes in favour
of the circular economy; strategies to promote
synergies between education, training and industry
to shift mindsets and nurture lifelong learning;
and tools and approaches to mainstream ESD and
climate education in TVET.

13
SDGs and Greening TVET — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

©Worlddidac Association

• Worlddidac Association – Future Talk 2020

©WorldSkills International
Future Talk was a three-day hybrid dialogue platform
in cooperation with three UN Agencies (UNESCO-
UNEVOC, UNESCO-UIL and UNIDO), under the
patronage of the Swiss Government. The conference
was held from 4 to 6 November 2020 and gathered
high-level speakers from NGOs, political authorities,
international financial institutions, and education
solution providers to discuss critical issues in
education. UNESCO-UNEVOC was a lead partner
for the Green Education track and was represented
at the event by Director Soo-Hyang Choi. In her
remarks, Ms Choi elaborated on the ways in which • WorldSkills Conference 2021: Job-rich
the new normal impacts greening education and the opportunities of the green transition
role of TVET to advocate changemakers for greening
economies towards inclusive ecosystems. Other UNESCO-UNEVOC and UNIDO co-organized a session
high-level perspectives for the Green Education on Job-rich opportunities of the green transition
discussion were from ILO, Global Apprenticeship at the WorldSkills Conference 2021. While the session
Network (GAN), and Lucas Nülle GmbH, among showcased a range of cooperation mechanisms
others. with industry, social partners and communities,
it also revealed that a shortage of highly-skilled,
professional-level engineers and technicians, who
possess industry-based competencies, can impact
the introduction of green technologies and the
overall uptake of companies introducing green jobs.

The conference session, which was co-moderated

by Kenneth Barrientos, Programme Officer, UNESCO-
UNEVOC, and Robert Parua, Education Specialist,
UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, featured several
examples of TVET providers engaging with business
and industry to supply a workforce with green
competencies, including from UNEVOC Centres in
Singapore and Sri Lanka.

14

Whole-institution approach
to green TVET institutions
• UNESCO-UNEVOC and UNESCO’s International
Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-
UNESCO) joined forces to promote sustainable
development and greening technical and
vocational education and training. The two-hour
webinar was organized for selected francophone
African countries on 29 June 2021 to raise
awareness about the concepts and motivations
for greening TVET and explore the opportunities
for TVET institutions to mainstream sustainable
development. More than 20 TVET managers
from Benin, Burundi, Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritania, Senegal and Togo participated
in practical discussions on developing and
implementing sustainable solutions within TVET
institutions facilitated by the joint UNESCO-
UNEVOC and IIPE team.
Resources
• In 2020, UNESCO-UNEVOC published a
discussion paper on Skills development for
renewable energy and energy efficient jobs to
analyse developments in the renewable energy
sector and their impacts on jobs and training.
The paper also explores how the available
technologies in the market will further align
with global trends in the energy efficiency and
renewable energy sectors.
BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — SDGs and Greening TVET
• UNESCO-UNEVOC contributed to the ITC-ILO
E-learning Course on the Management of
Vocational Training Centres (Advanced) on
12 October 2021. Guidance on how to manage
green TVET approaches as a whole-institution
model was shared based on UNEVOC’s practical
guide on greening TVET and its work with
UNEVOC Centres that have adopted institutional
strategies. Greening TVET was one of the
important areas for training of the ITC-ILO
course, which ran from 20 September to
05 November 2021 and was attended by 58
TVET practitioners.
• UNESCO-UNEVOC’s discussion paper on Skills
development and climate change action plans:
Enhancing TVET’s contribution reviews relevant
information regarding the country submissions
(Nationally Determined Contributions and
National Communications) in 57 selected
countries. The 2021 paper summarizes key
information that helps assess the ongoing and
potential contribution of TVET to the realization
of climate change action plans.
15
© UNESCO-UNEVOC/ Latinwo-Opeyemi under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
Inclusion and Youth
Entrepreneurial learning
TVET institutions need to ensure not only job-specific
skills that align with labour market demands, but also
the development of entrepreneurial competencies
and mindsets to respond to 21st century challenges.
The importance of entrepreneurial skills in equipping
youth for the world of work and improving their
capabilities to adapt to changing skills demands
is well reflected in the commitments made by the
international community. SDG 4 on quality education
and SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth
call for the strengthening of skills for employment,
decent jobs and entrepreneurship. During the
2020-2021 biennium, UNESCO-UNEVOC led the
development of practical resources and implemented
capacity-building programmes to support TVET
stakeholders in understanding and applying
entrepreneurial learning in their institutional context.
Participants at the workshop in Basque Country, Spain
16
• UNESCO-UNEVOC mobilized UNEVOC Centres
from all five regions of the UNEVOC Network to
contribute to the development of its practical
guide on entrepreneurial learning for TVET
institutions. From 12 to 14 February 2020, a
workshop was co-organized with the Basque
VET Applied Research Centre (Tknika) in the
Basque Country, Spain. Participants and experts
from UNEVOC Centres in Austria, Chile, China,
India, Italy, Nigeria, Paraguay, South Africa, Spain
and Tunisia, as well as the European Training
Foundation (ETF), exchanged experiences in
promoting and mainstreaming entrepreneurial
learning in TVET, and helped to test and
elaborate the concept of the practical guide.
These partners also further contributed by peer
reviewing the draft version.
© Tknika
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Inclusion and Youth

• Entrepreneurial learning for TVET

institutions: A practical guide was published in
2020 in English, Spanish and French, followed by
an interactive online version in three languages
in 2021. The guide helps TVET institutions to
focus on what really drives

Nafise Motlaq / World Bank

entrepreneurial learning by
providing the tools to assess
the needs of the target
group and the framework
to explore the added value
of an entrepreneurial
learning ecosystem. The
Entrepreneurial Learning
Institution Canvas (ELIC)
enables TVET institutions to
develop their own concept
for entrepreneurial learning, map out which
entrepreneurial learning activities are relevant to
their institutional context and apply innovative
approaches and models.
Gender equality in
Access the PDF version in three languages.
STEM-related TVET
Access the interactive version in English,
French and Spanish
Gender equality is a global priority for UNESCO and
• UNESCO-UNEVOC and the Austrian Federal inextricably linked to its efforts to promote the right
Ministry for Education and Skills (BMBWF) to education and support the achievement of the
jointly organized a three-part series of capacity- Sustainable Development Goals. UNESCO’s work on
building webinars on entrepreneurial learning education and gender equality focuses on system-
in TVET from September to November 2021. wide transformation to benefit all learners equally
The webinars built upon UNESCO-UNEVOC’s and supports targeted action for girls’ and women’s
existing work in this area by offering interactive empowerment across three areas of priority: better
sessions structured around the ELIC. Thirty- data, better policies and better practices.
eight participants from UNEVOC Centres in
Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius and Despite the progress made, the number of girls and
Nigeria took part in the programme. women enrolled in TVET continues to lag behind
that of general education. According to the UNESCO
• Based on the aforementioned practical guide, Institute for Statistics, women make up only 43%
new resource material on Entrepreneurial of the students enrolled in vocational education
learning for disadvantaged youth was at upper secondary level (ISCED 3), as opposed to
developed in collaboration with the National 49% in general education. Furthermore, women
Skill Development Corporation, India, featuring are generally underrepresented in the science,
consultations with 10 UNEVOC Centres. technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
The material will be converted into an online fields, where they only occupy 35% of higher
interactive guide, which will be launched education enrolment.
in 2022.
• Recognizing the gap in TVET-specific data
and literature on the participation of girls
and women in STEM fields, UNESCO-UNEVOC
published a study report in 2020 on Boosting
gender equality in science and technology.
A challenge for TVET programmes and careers.

17
Inclusion and Youth— BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

The study report examined factors influencing

the participation of women in STEM-related
TVET at the personal, institutional, and societal
level. UNEVOC Centres
from Australia, Chile, Costa
Rica, Germany, Ghana,

© UNESCO-UNEVOC/ Momin Abdul

Jamaica, Lebanon, the

under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

Netherlands, the Philippines
and South Africa took
part in the study.

• To coincide with the launch of the study

report, UNESCO-UNEVOC organized a virtual
conference on Understanding the causes
of gender disparities in
STEM-related TVET from 23 Inclusive TVET
to 27 November 2020. The
conference was moderated
institutions
by representatives from
the Centre for Innovation
of Education and Training UNESCO’s approach to inclusion and equity is
(CINOP), the Netherlands. grounded in a well-established right to education
Participants from 26 and the work that has stemmed from this, including
countries explored the the 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report on
multidimensional factors Inclusion and education: All means all.
hindering the participation
of girls and women in STEM-related education While TVET can act as an enabler for social mobility
and shared insights on successful practices and and facilitate the transition to formal employment
initiatives. and decent work, vulnerable groups continue to
face significant barriers when it comes to accessing
quality skills training. TVET institutions and teachers
• In 2021, UNESCO-UNEVOC started the can be hindered by a lack of practical knowledge and
development of capacity-building programmes experience in meeting the specific needs of these
to support formal and non-formal TVET groups in traditional learning settings. Disadvantaged
institutions in delivering career guidance youth are particularly at risk of dropping out of
services in a post-COVID-19 world, with a focus school or being excluded from the formal TVET
on STEM-related TVET and careers for young system.
women and girls. These programmes are set to
be launched in 2022. UNESCO-UNEVOC’s thematic work in this area focuses
on expanding the inclusiveness of TVET institutions
and improving the accessibility of skills training for
disadvantaged youth.

18
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Inclusion and Youth

• In 2021, UNESCO-UNEVOC and the University

of Nottingham published a discussion paper
on Technical and vocational education and
training for disadvantaged
youth. The paper maps
some of the main barriers

Sunshine Seeds/Shutterstock.com
disadvantaged youth face in
TVET and examines available
evidence on strategies and
approaches that are being used
or can be used to meet the
needs of disadvantaged youth.
It discusses these barriers
using a framework that looks at
‘4As’: availability, accessibility,
acceptability and adaptability. About 50
UNEVOC Centres contributed to a survey on
the topic, the results of which are reflected in
the discussion paper.

• Following the discussion paper, UNESCO-
UNEVOC collaborated with CINOP, the
Netherlands, to develop a practical guide on
inclusive TVET. The purpose of the practical
guide is to advise teachers, managers, and
leaders of formal TVET institutions, as well
as other actors that collaborate with such
institutions, on how to create a supportive
and inclusive environment to cater for
skills development needs of disadvantaged
youth. The guide will contain tools for TVET
institutions to self-assess how inclusive their
policies and practices are, and guidelines to
help stakeholders plan and introduce inclusive
approaches within their institutions.
Youth employment
and skills
According to a recent report (ILO, 2020), 267 million
young people between the ages of 15-24 are not
in employment, education or training (NEET),
and many more endure substandard working
conditions. The past biennium was particularly
challenging for young people. The COVID-19
pandemic made major life-cycle transitions difficult
if not impossible, including graduation from general
education or TVET at secondary or tertiary level,
residential autonomy and labour market insertion.
Young women, youth living with disabilities, youth
from disadvantaged backgrounds and all those in
informal or self-employment have had to confront
the greatest challenges.

TVET has a key role to play in fostering the resilience

of young people. It is crucial for all stakeholders to
ensure the continuity of skills development and
to introduce training programmes to bridge skills
gaps. Solutions need to be reimagined in a way that
considers not only the realities of the present, but
also the full range of possibilities for the future.

19
Inclusion and Youth — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021
World Youth Skills Day
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly
declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day (WYSD),
to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping
young people with skills for employment, decent
work and entrepreneurship. Every year since then,
UNESCO-UNEVOC has joined global celebrations
to mark the occasion and continues to be one of
the key actors in the WYSD campaign by mobilizing
members of the UNEVOC Network and organizing
activities to amplify the voices of young people.
• In 2020 and 2021, virtual events aligned with the
global themes of ‘Skills for a resilient youth’ and
‘Reimagining youth skills post-pandemic’ were
jointly organized by the Permanent Missions of
Sri Lanka and Portugal to the UN, the Office of
the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, UNESCO
and ILO. Selected UNEVOC Centres joined these
events as panellists to share their perspectives as
TVET providers.
• Members of the UNEVOC Network were
encouraged to organize their own skills
competitions, workshops, discussions and online
campaigns to raise awareness about WYSD. In
2020 and 2021, a total of 23 UNEVOC Centres
from all 5 regions of the Network organized
activities to celebrate youth skills.
Skills in Action Photo Competition
20
• In July 2020, UNESCO-UNEVOC held a virtual
conference on Skills for a resilient youth.
The conference was moderated by the
Commonwealth of Learning and attended
by more than 130 participants from 47
countries. It gathered knowledge, insights,
experiences and practices from the international
TVET community to understand how the
pandemic was affecting youth and how TVET
teachers, institutions and government agencies
were responding.
• UNESCO-UNEVOC invited photographers
from around the world to capture youth skills
as part of its annual Skills in Action Photo
Competition. The more than 600 submissions
focused on how TVET is equipping young
people with skills for a sustainable, digital and
inclusive future.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has reached a scale
that could hardly have been anticipated at
the start of the biennium. As young people
showcased their resilience during the crisis,
UNESCO-UNEVOC called on TVET youth to
share videos of how they were coping during
the pandemic and which skills they think will
be most important in the post-pandemic era.
Videos were received from more than 60 young
people from all five regions of the UNEVOC
Network.

Private Sector Engagement
Recognizing the importance of fostering discussion
and engagement with private enterprises to ensure
TVET is demand-driven, UNESCO-UNEVOC launched
a programme within its Medium-Term Strategy
to strengthen cooperation between the UNEVOC
Network and the private sector. This initiative aimed
at providing venues for both parties to cooperate
in preparing for the future of work and TVET
collectively. A matching process for TVET-related
trainings has been created to facilitate exchange
between interested private enterprises and UNEVOC
Centres. To maximize impact, UNESCO-UNEVOC has
prioritized sectors disrupted by the processes of
digitalization, automation and green recovery.
UNESCO-UNEVOC’s private sector engagement
programme also contributes towards the outcomes
of UNESCO’s Strategy for TVET 2016-2021, wherein
UNESCO aims to support Member States in
creating national, regional and sectoral stakeholder
platforms to foster private sector participation and
communication between education and the world
of work. One such example is the UNESCO Global
Education Coalition (GEC) that was launched
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. GEC
is a platform for collaboration and exchange
©UNESCO-UNEVOC/Carla Inarejo under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
to protect the right to education during this
unprecedented disruption. It brings together
more than 175 members from the UN family,
civil society, academia and the private sector to
ensure that #LearningNeverStops.
Matching skills
demands with training
• UNESCO-UNEVOC kept the immediate and
short-term training needs of its global UNEVOC
Network at the centre of its matching process.
In March 2021, a survey was conducted where
UNEVOC Centres indicated their immediate (0-6
months) and short-term (6-12 months) training
needs in building the digital, transversal and
pedagogical competencies of their TVET staff
and learners. The respondents were asked to
rank themes in which they were interested in
cooperating with private companies. Topics
such as digitalization, STEM training and
entrepreneurship were the first priority for the
majority of respondents.
21
Private Sector Engagement — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

How urgent are the training needs in the following

DIGITAL COMPETENCIES for your selected target group(s)?

Basic ICT skills

Information & data literacy

(browsing, searching, filtering data, etc.)

Communication & collaboration tools

(using digital technologies, online platforms)

Developing digital content

(using web-based and offline tools to create content)

IT security

Technical troubleshooting

100% 0% 100%

Immediate need (within 0-6 months) Medium-term need (within next 2-3 years)
Short-term need (within next 1 year) Long-term need (beyond 3 years)

Source: UNEVOC Network survey on cooperation with the private sector

• Based on the results of the needs survey,

strategic cooperation opportunities with
private companies and development partners
were identified. During the PSE matching
webinar series, companies shared information
about various TVET and employability-related
trainings. More than 90 TVET Institutions,
including UNEVOC Centres or affiliated
schools/institutions, have participated in the
matching webinars. Companies such as Lenovo
presented about their online courses on AI, Big
Data and Smart Manufacturing, while atingi
– a special programme under the Africa Cloud
initiative – offered access to its digital learning
portfolio of 300+ courses in 6 languages to
the UNEVOC Centres for free. Other capacity-
building workshops and trainings to support
implementation are continuously being planned
for interested UNEVOC Centres.
UNESCO’s Global Skills
Academy
• Under the umbrella of the Global Education
Coalition, the mission of the Global Skills
Academy (GSA) is to support one million
youth and adults to develop technological
and cross-cutting skills to increase their rate of
employability and help people thrive in digitized
economies and labour markets during the
COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. By leveraging
partnerships with the UNEVOC Network, the GSA
has shifted to a stage beyond pilot phase (July
2020 to July 2021) and is now implementing
a demand-driven approach, an enhanced
communications strategy, and is developing
tracking and tracing tools towards a sustainable
project.

22

• As of October 2021,16 partners from the Global
Education Coalition have joined the Global Skills
Academy and 142,000 people have benefited
from skilling and reskilling programmes
offered by Global Skills Academy partners.
Since its launch, the GSA has reached more
than 150 TVET institutions in 54 countries,
including 18 in Africa, 7 in Europe and North
America, 15 in Asia and the Pacific, 9 in Latin
America and the Caribbean, and 5 in the Arab
States. Free trainings from partners, facilitated
through the GSA, covers a wide range of
technical, digital and task-oriented skills, as well
as cognitive, creative, social and emotional skills.
You can read more about the GSA here.
Global Skills Academy Partners
Source: GSA Partners Meeting Report, March 2021
BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Private Sector Engagement
• Participation of UNEVOC Centres in GSA
TVET staff, learners and apprentices participated
in several information sessions and trainings
offered by four GSA partners. National level
MOUs have been signed between GSA partners
and UNEVOC Centres (training authorities and
ministries) as a result of the matching process.
Collaborations between partners such as
Fundación Telefonica, WHO Academy, OECD
Academy, ILO and interested UNEVOC Centres
are currently being facilitated.
23
Private Sector Engagement — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

Matching UNEVOC Centres to trainings offered by companies under GSA

Huawei UNEVOC Centres from 9 countries including Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines

and UAE were engaged in trainings offered by the Huawei Skills Academy.

IBM 46 UNEVOC Centres and their institutes from 32 countries have engaged in
information sessions on the trainings offered by SkillsBuild (formerly Open-
PTech).

Coursera 14 UNEVOC Centres participated in an information session organized by

Coursera for Campus. The courses target teachers and trainers at universities.

FESTO 45 UNEVOC Centres from 31 countries and their affiliates participated in

information sessions on trainings in water technology.

Microsoft Learn 15 UNEVOC Centres from 14 countries participated in information sessions

on the benefits of the Microsoft Learn platform for teachers and trainers. The
Bangladesh Technical Education board (BTEB) and TESDA in the Philippines are
in the process of signing country-level MOUs with Microsoft for training their
teachers and trainers.

2021/2 Global Education

Monitoring Report
• The 2021/2 edition of UNESCO’s flagship Global
Education Monitoring (GEM) Report focuses
on the role of non-state actors in education:
Who chooses, who loses? Considering the
important role of non-state actors, especially the
private sector in provision of TVET within formal
and non-formal systems, UNESCO-UNEVOC
organized an expert consultation (comprising of
10 UNEVOC Centres and
partners) to contribute
experiences and best
practices to the study.

24
 © UNESCO-UNEVOC under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
The UNEVOC Network
The UNEVOC Network is UNESCO’s global platform
for institutions specialized in TVET. Coordinated by
UNESCO-UNEVOC, the Network provides unparalleled
opportunities for exchange, cooperation and mutual
assistance among its members — UNEVOC Centres.

Africa Arab States 

More than 
220 UNEVOC Centres 
in over
140 Member States
Latin America and across
the Caribbean 5 regions Asia and
the Pacific 

Europe, CIS
and North America 

25
The UNEVOC Network — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

• This year, the UNEVOC Network Manual of

Operating Procedures, originally released in
2015, has undergone a comprehensive review
and update. Developed by the UNEVOC Network
Secretariat in consultation with UNEVOC Centres
and programmatic teams of UNESCO-UNEVOC,

Lagos Techie/Unsplash.com
the manual has been renamed Handbook for
the UNEVOC Network and serves as a guide for
both existing Network members and prospective
institutions that are looking to join a global
community of TVET institutions.

• Towards the end of 2021, the UNEVOC Network

Secretariat launched the pilot UNEVOC Network
Coaction Initiative. The purpose of this initiative
was to support UNEVOC Centres to design and
implement selective joint projects on issues of
common interest in order to help strengthen
collaboration and partnership within the
UNEVOC Network as well as facilitate mutual
learning and capacity building. 
From 2020 to 2021,
the UNESCO-UNEVOC
Building the capacities
of TVET leaders
Capacity building of TVET leaders is one of the
core aims of the UNEVOC Network, in addition
to providing a platform to network with other
senior TVET leaders across the globe. From 2016
to 2019, UNESCO-UNEVOC trained and supported
322 TVET leaders, managers and staff from 95
countries through its global, regional and country-
level adaptation of the UNEVOC TVET Leadership
Programme. The interventions benefited 89 UNEVOC
Centres, within the broader scope of the strategy
to develop the capacity of TVET leaders in Member
States and support them to apply their acquired

TVET Leadership leadership and managerial capacities. These alumni

continue to collaborate and actively contribute to the
work of UNESCO-UNEVOC.
Programme trained
and supported
a total of 332 TVET
leaders, managers
and staff from
52 countries

26

The UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Leadership
Programme 2020 – Special Edition
The 2020 TVET Leadership Programme, specially
organized during the COVID-19 pandemic, was
implemented through a call for proposals to help
address the problems faced by TVET institutions in
meeting the demands of the digital transition to a
‘new normal’. Common themes revolved around the
Africa
• ICT skills certification for TVET staff –
University of Cape Coast, Ghana
The University of Cape Coast wanted to create
a mechanism for equipping TVET staff with
ICT skills during the pandemic. They began
by assessing training needs, then developed
a resource manual and other materials
accordingly. In the end, 45 participants were
awarded certification in ICT skills and were
able to apply the knowledge gained to their
teaching methodology.
Asia and the Pacific
• The Digital TVET Learning Platform –
University Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia
UTHM recognized the need for improved staff
capacity in remote teaching, specifically the
incorporation of augmented and virtual reality
technologies. To bridge this gap, the university
developed an online learning platform for
TVET courses. The Digital TVET Learning
Platform allowed 25 TVET staff members
to expand their knowledge about open
educational resources (OER), strengthen their
digital skills and produce their own digital
content.
BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — The UNEVOC Network
need for upskilling in online teaching as well as
training in creating digital content and producing
open educational resources (OER). The following
nine programmes, submitted by UNEVOC Centres
and alumni of past TVET Leadership Programmes,
received financial support from UNESCO-UNEVOC:
• Training the trainers – Higher Institute of
Technology of Antsiranana, Madagascar
The Higher Institute of Technology of
Antsiranana sought to strengthen the ICT skills
of their teachers and trainers by implementing
a training programme to help staff produce
their own online courses for immediate use.
The programme focused on ‘train the trainer’
workshops and helped 27 TVET staff to create
online courses for direct implementation with
students in the classroom. The success of the
programme has led to the same materials being
used to train staff at neighbouring TVET schools.
©UTHM
Access the Promising Practice on this
initiative here.
27
The UNEVOC Network — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

Latin America and

the Caribbean

• Developing competency-based open
educational resources – The TVET Council,
Barbados
Due to the growing importance of online
learning both as a result of the pandemic and
technological advances, the TVET Council
implemented a programme to assist 16
staff members in the development of
competency-based open educational
resources (OER).
• Más mujeres en las TICs (More women in ICT)
– Duoc UC, Chile
5% of those working in ICT in Chile are female
(compared to 24% globally) and only 10% of
those currently in training are female – figures
that have not changed in more than 10 years.
To tackle this problem, the ICT School of
Duoc UC has focused its efforts on increasing
the number of girls and women in ICT. As a
result of this initiative, up to 400 women are
enrolling in ICT programmes annually at
the institution.

Access the Promising Practice on this

initiative here.
©Duoc UC

• Assistive technologies for TVET students and

employees with disabilities – The University
of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad and
Tobago

This programme helped 30 teachers

©The UWI, Trinidad and Tobago

and instructors come to grips with

assistive technology and the role that it
can play within TVET, as well as enhanced
their understanding of how persons with
disabilities can be adequately provided for in
training.

Access the Promising Practice on this

initiative here.

28
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — The UNEVOC Network

Europe, CIS and

North America

• The Fundamentals of Pedagogical Design for • Equitable digital capacities in TVET –

Online TVET Courses – Republican Institute
for Vocational Education, Belarus
The Republican Institute for Vocational
Education aimed to create a resource which
could be useful for instructing staff in the
future creation of online materials. The
programme began by assessing the needs of
staff before developing ‘The Fundamentals of
Pedagogical Design for Online TVET Courses’.
This was followed by capacity-building
webinars for 42 TVET professionals.
Cometa Formazione, Italy
Cometa Formazione saw the pandemic as an
opportunity to re-consider its approach to
TVET, and to address the growing need for
equitable digital capacities. Cometa set up
a task force of TVET experts to review and
revise the existing school model, and to create
a handbook to navigate the new reality. TVET
staff were also trained in how to incorporate
these new materials using blended learning
techniques.

• Leading organizational transitions during

COVID-19 and beyond – Niagara College,
Canada

A potential barrier to any post-COVID-19

recovery for TVET staff is the lengthy duration
of the pandemic, throughout which they
experience significant insecurity, both
physical and psychological. This initiative by
Niagara College supported 37 TVET leaders
from 13 countries to reflect on both personal
and institutional change styles and how to
integrate change management theory and
models into their daily practice.

Access the Promising Practice on this

initiative here.
©Niagara College, Canada

29
The UNEVOC Network — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

The UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Leadership

Programme 2021

The 2021 TVET Leadership Programme focused on

the theme of digital transformation and responding
to future demands. Unlike previous years, where the

Fizkes/Shutterstock.com
programme took place face-to-face at the UNESCO-
UNEVOC International Centre in Bonn, Germany,
the 2021 edition was delivered fully online in two
batches (September and November 2021), under
the theme ‘Skills for the digital transformation: How
TVET institutions can respond to future demands’. The
topics covered included:

• Adjusting to the ‘new normal’ – a renewed TVET

for new, digital skillsets
• Exploring strategies for institutions and leaders
to become more resilient in responding to the
digital transformation
• Planning for future TVET delivery that anticipates
a quickly changing digital landscape

The online programme was delivered through

a month-long series of interactive webinars and
trained 62 TVET leaders and managers from
45 countries, including 28 UNEVOC Centres.

Trends Case studies Strategies Future planning

30
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — The UNEVOC Network

Feedback from participants

“The 2021 TLP gave us a great opportunity to obtain

some of the most up-to-date trends and strategies
in TVET and exchange ideas with international
experts and peers. Through the group
discussions, I learned about different solutions
for the challenges and difficulties of rapidly
changing worlds. Moreover, the group
discussion allowed us to know more about each
other and our institutions, which will help us to
develop cooperation in future.”

Qianmin Lin
Programme Officer, Shenzhen Polytechnic, China (UNEVOC Centre)

“The TVET Leadership Programme was an excellent

opportunity for TVET leaders to explore the
impact of digitalization on labour markets
and to gain knowledge on how to adapt
their institutions to manage the evolving
digital landscape. Furthermore, the sessions,
materials, and discussions were quite helpful
in providing TVET institutions with concrete
strategies to build institutional resilience in
the digital era. I found the group discussions
to be one of the most beneficial aspects of the
programme.”

Bewar Haji
Director, Career Development Centre – Duhok Polytechnic University, Iraq

31
The UNEVOC Network — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

“The UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Leadership Programme

was timely and inspiring. The topic of skills for
digital transformation provided new and
meaningful insights as TVET leaders grapple
with challenges that have been exacerbated
by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was especially
interesting to note that this was not
unique to my country or institution as both
developed and developing countries faced
similar challenges. The interaction provided an
opportunity for us to ideate and to share best
practices from countries that are ahead in their
digitalization and TVET agendas.”

Marcine Taylor-Brown
Director/Principal, HEART/NSTA Trust, Jamaica (UNEVOC Centre)

“It was necessary to have such a programme for

professionals around the world to meet and
discuss the challenges institutions are facing,
the different platforms which are working
with regards to digitalization and also to
find a way forward. I was able to share
my experiences and hear from other TVET
professionals and this was a great experience.
We could learn from each other and we were
able to come up with strategies for the future.”

Pauldina Lajoie
Head of Programme, Seychelles Institute of Technology,
Seychelles (UNEVOC Centre)

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 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — The UNEVOC Network

UNEVOC Network
consolidation meetings

Arab States
2-4 February 2020

To foster collaboration and enable action-oriented partnerships between

UNEVOC Centres in the Arab States, a UNEVOC Network consolidation
workshop was organized in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Centre
for TVET (ACTVET). The workshop was held in Abu Dhabi and examined
responsive programmatic engagement in the region.

Around 25 participants attended the workshop, representing

8 UNEVOC Centres across 8 Member States, as well as
representatives from UNESCO-UNEVOC, and the UNESCO
Offices in Doha and Beirut. Four thematic priorities for
strengthened engagement of UNEVOC Centres in the
region were identified and discussed: skills for the
future; improving the perception of TVET; promoting
entrepreneurship and innovation; and enhancing
inclusion and social equity. The meeting also served as
a platform to deepen understanding of the key trends
and developments in TVET in the respective countries.

East and South East Asia

9 September and 14 October 2021

As part of an annual and ongoing contribution to the UNEVOC Network,

the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET)
coordinated two East and Southeast Asian Network workshops for
UNEVOC Centres to enhance cooperation and facilitate discussion on TVET
policies, systems, practices and leadership. The workshops were designed
based on a survey conducted among UNEVOC Centres in the region, as
well as input from UNESCO-UNEVOC and the UNESCO Beijing Cluster
Office. The overarching theme was ‘For a New
Normal in TVET: Innovation, Equity and Respect’.
Representatives and experts from UNEVOC Centres
in the region shared the respective countries’ recent
experiences on topics such as greening TVET, use of
technology in TVET and issues of equity in TVET.

33
The UNEVOC Network — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

UNESCO’s Strategy for

TVET 2022-2029
Members of the global UNEVOC Network came The three main lines of action were presented as 1)
together during two online workshops on 30 develop skills for all individuals to learn, work and
September and 01 October 2021 to exchange live; 2) develop skills for inclusive and sustainable
insights and propose interventions for UNESCO’s economies; and 3) develop skills for inclusive and
Strategy for TVET 2022-2029 under the theme peaceful societies.
'Transforming TVET for successful and just
transitions'. The UNEVOC Network has been instrumental in the
success of UNESCO’s current TVET strategy and is
The consultations were considered as the backbone for implementation
organized jointly by of the new Strategy in the years to come. The
UNESCO’s Section for Strategy for TVET 2022-2029 will build upon these
Youth, Literacy and Skills achievements and seek to generate a global
Development and UNESCO- momentum for TVET, contributing to the post-
UNEVOC International COVID-19 social and economic recovery and to an
Centre. The two workshops acceleration of progress towards the 2030 Agenda.
brought together UNEVOC
Centres from all five
regions of the Network,
a total of 98 participants
representing 71 UNEVOC
Centres. This event provided a space where UNEVOC
Centres were able to explore key elements and make
contributions to further develop the new strategy.

34
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Section Title Style

International Centre for

Technical and Vocational
Education and Training

TVET Forum Online library

TVET Country Profiles Promising and Innovative Practices

Knowledge management
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for information
that allows for quick and decisive action. To keep up with these developments,
UNESCO-UNEVOC has worked to strengthen its role as a hub for comparative
data, innovative initiatives and practical resources on all aspects of TVET.

TVET Country Profiles

UNESCO-UNEVOC’s TVET Country Profiles provide reliable and up-to-date
information on TVET systems worldwide. During the biennium, UNESCO-UNEVOC
relaunched its TVET Country Profiles in an interactive format with expanded data
and up-to-date TVET statistics for more than 190 countries. Clear and concise
diagrams illustrate education systems at a glance, with a focus on TVET.

Promising and Innovative Practices in TVET

UNESCO-UNEVOC publishes Promising and Innovative Practices for the benefit
of the global TVET community, including policymakers and practitioners.
Between 2020 and 2021, the database was updated with more than 50 new
practices from all five regions of the UNEVOC Network and sourced from various
projects such as BILT, i-hubs and COVID-19 response.

TVET Forum
The TVET Forum is an online community of TVET experts, practitioners, students
and stakeholders from around the world. Members engage in discussion,
knowledge sharing and peer learning on TVET-related issues. At the end of 2021,
the TVET Forum had more than 6,600 members from over 185 countries and
territories.

35
Knowledge management — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

Online library
Below is a selection of publications from 2020 and 2021.
More can be found in our online library.

The impact of AI Promoting quality in Trends mapping study Understanding the

on skills development TVET using technology: on the future of TVET return on investment
A practical guide teaching from TVET

YEM Knowledge Platform

Youth Employment in the Mediterranean (YEM) was a three-
year regional initiative (2018 - 2020) led by UNESCO and funded
by the European Union, extended until July 2021. The project
supported youth employment in the South Mediterranean
region through improved skills anticipation and assessment
systems, the promotion of quality and relevant TVET, and
regional collaboration. Within the scope of this project, UNESCO-
UNEVOC fostered collaboration and knowledge sharing in
the region through the development of a dedicated YEM
Knowledge Platform.

Global OER Grant Programme

UNESCO-UNEVOC's Global Open Educational Resources Grant
Programme aimed to promote the use of OER and motivate
the TVET community to develop OER-related initiatives and
practices. In 2020, the five winning projects came from Germany,
India, Kenya, Paraguay and the Philippines, and focused on a
range of topics such as leadership and management skills, digital
literacy development and greening the agricultural value chain.

The UNEVOC Quarterly

The UNEVOC Quarterly is an online newsletter that was
launched in April 2021. Published online four times a year, it
informs the global education community about the programmes
and activities of UNESCO-UNEVOC and the UNEVOC Network.
Over the course of the biennium, eight issues of the UNEVOC
Quarterly were published in English and French.

36
Staff list

Director’s Office Inclusion and Youth

Soo-Hyang Choi Miki Nozawa
Director Programme Specialist,
Friedrich Huebler Team Leader for Inclusion and Youth
Acting Head of Office (since November 2021) Wouter de Regt
Lenny Martini Programme Officer, Inclusion and Youth
Programme Assistant
Private Sector Engagement
Innovation and the Future of TVET Pooja Gianchandani
Sarah Elson-Rogers Programme Expert on Loan (GIZ),
Programme Officer, Team Leader for Private Sector Engagement
Team Leader for Innovation and the Future of TVET
UNEVOC Network Secretariat
Wilson Lima Júnior
Project Manager, BILT Project Miki Nozawa
Programme Specialist,
Natalie Ax
Team Leader for the UNEVOC Network Secretariat
Project Officer, BILT Project
Ruairi Gough
Alexandra Filippova
Programme Assistant, UNEVOC Network Secretariat
Programme Assistant, BILT Project
Anne Maletjane Knowledge Management and IT
Administrative and Financial Assistant, BILT Project
Max Ehlers
Associate Officer, IT,
SDGs and Greening TVET Team Leader for Knowledge Management and IT
Kenneth Barrientos Nickola Browne
Programme Officer, Team Leader for SDGs Associate Officer, Communications
and Greening TVET
Aldrich Mejia
Assistant Officer, IT

37
Staff list — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

Administrative Office External consultants and experts

Caroline Bajer We would like to extend our deep gratitude to the
Administrative Officer external consultants and experts who have shared
Carolin Schaulandt their invaluable knowledge and experience. Without
Assistant Officer, HRM your input, UNESCO-UNEVOC would not be where it
is today.
Ulrike Krämer
Office Assistant Interns and volunteers
Other staff during the biennium During the biennium, we welcomed five interns into
the UNESCO-UNEVOC family. We are grateful for their
Tristan Cole  hard work and we are happy to have shared valuable
Project Officer, BILT Project (until July 2020) skills and experiences on this part of their profession-
Jean Hautier  al journey.
Programme Assistant, Network Secretariat
(until November 2020) Isobel Aiken (UK)

Jens Liebe  Feven Antonious (Ethiopia)

Programme Officer, Team Leader for Innovation Sabrina Ferraz Guarino (Brazil/Italy)
and the Future of TVET (until July 2021)
Conor McCutcheon (Ireland)
Zubair Shahid 
Programme Assistant, Private Sector Engagement Dan Zhang (China)
(until October 2020)

38
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Financial overview

Financial overview
In the biennium 2020–2021, UNESCO-UNEVOC generated funds through UNESCO’s regular programme
and extra-budgetary projects. As a result, UNESCO-UNEVOC had the following budget at its disposal to
implement its programmes and activities:

 
2020 USD 2021 USD Total USD

Regular Programme funds (UNESCO RP) $ 120,000 $ 100,000 $ 220,000

 
Programme and Operating funds,
received under Funds-in-Trust (FiT)
$ 1,046,378 $ 1,125,308 $ 2,171,686
Agreements with the Federal German
Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Programme and Operating funds,
received under Funds-in-Trust (FiT)
Agreements with the Federal German
$ 452,488 $ 237,812 $ 690,300
Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development (BMZ)
Project funds, received under the
Funds-in-Trust (FiT) Agreement with the
Federal Institute for Vocational Education $ 1,001,140* $ 1,398,560* $ 2,399,699
and Training (BiBB) *
Project funds, received under the
Funds-in-Trust (FiT) Agreement with the
$ 591,456 $ 591,456
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Total $ 2,620,006 $ 3,453,136 $ 6,073,142

* The amounts reflect the total funding received for the implementation of project phases 1 & 2
(March 2019 - December 2021 & August 2020 - June 2022).
Further to these funding agreements, GIZ has provided an expert on loan to UNESCO-UNEVOC, appointed from
January 2020 until June 2022.

39
Financial overview — BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021

UNEVOC Budget Overview 2020 - 2021

4%
10%

36%

39%

11%

UNESCO Regular Programme (2020-2021)

FiT Germany BMBF
FiT Germany BMZ
Fit Germany BiBB (BILT March 2019-June 2022)*
FiT Germany GIZ

40
 BIENNIAL REPORT 2020-2021 — Section Title Style

UNESCO-UNEVOC in Bonn

The decision was taken at the UNESCO General

Conference in 1999 to launch the UNESCO-UNEVOC
International Centre for Technical and Vocational
Education and Training in order to foster closer
coordination between Member States on matters
concerning TVET. The Government of Germany
generously offered for the Centre to be located in
Bonn and the inauguration ceremony took place
in April 2002. The UN presence in Bonn has grown
steadily from a handful of staff in 1996 to what has
become a UN family with more than 20 organizations
and almost 1,000 staff members. UNESCO-UNEVOC,
alongside all the UN agencies in Bonn, supports
governments and people in their efforts to achieve a
sustainable future on this planet.

41
International Centre for
Technical and Vocational
Education and Training

Biennial Report 2020-2021

Adapting to the new normal

This report gives an overview of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre's activities

during the biennium 2020 - 2021. It highlights how UNESCO-UNEVOC has supported
Member States in their efforts to strengthen and upgrade their TVET systems and
promoted opportunities for productive work, sustainable livelihoods, personal
empowerment and socio-economic development, especially for youth, women and
the disadvantaged.

Stay in touch

unevoc@unesco.org UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for TVET

UN Campus
https://unevoc.unesco.org
Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1
@unevoc
53113 Bonn
unesco.unevoc.international Germany

Sustainable
Development
Goals